Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Albert R. Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams. Productions ;Original London production The musical premiered in the West End at the London Palladium on April 16, 2002 with six new songs by the Sherman Brothers who wrote the original Academy Award-nominated title and song score as well. The West End production was directed by Adrian Noble (at the time the artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company) with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne and featured Michael Ball (Caractacus Potts), Emma Williams (Truly Scrumptious), Anton Rodgers (Grandpa Potts), George Gillies (Jeremy), Carrie Fletcher (Jemima) and Graham Hoadly (The Commentator). Closing in September 2005, it was the longest running show ever at the London Palladium, taking in over £70 million in its three and a half year run. The Palladium's famous revolving stage (as seen on Sunday Night at the London Palladium) was entirely taken out to accommodate the technology and storage space for the flying Chitty car, which itself holds the Guinness World Record as the most expensive stage prop, costing £750,000. ;Original Broadway production The Broadway production opened on April 28, 2005 at the Lyric Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre), garnering good reviews only for the lavish sets. Ben Brantley in The New York Times noted that the show "naggingly recalls the cold, futurist milieus of movies like 'Modern Times' and 'Metropolis,' in which machines rule the universe" and featured songs that sounded "not unlike what you might hear in sing-along hour in a pre-K class".Brantley, Ben. "She's a Diva on Wheels of Song." The New York Times, April 29, 2005. Retrieved February 29, 2008. The production was again directed by Adrian Noble with choreography by Gillian Lynne and starred Raúl Esparza (Caractacus Potts), Erin Dilly (Truly Scrumptious), Philip Bosco (Grandpa Potts), Marc Kudisch (Baron Bomburst), Jan Maxwell (Baroness Bomburst), Ellen Marlow (Jemima Potts), and Henry Hodges (Jeremy Potts). The Broadway production closed on December 31, 2005 after 34 previews and 285 regular performances. According to producer Nicholas Paleologos, "A substantial portion of the $15 million (initial investment) will not be recouped on Broadway." Boroff, Philip (Bloomberg News). "Two underrated Broadway musicals deserved better: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sweet Charity may take to the road", Ottawa Citizen. ARTS; Pg. D4. December 26, 2005[http://www.broadwayworld.com/grossesshow.cfm?show=Chitty%20Chitty%20Bang%20Bang&year=2005 2005 "Broadway box office grosses for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"] Broadwayworld.com A US National tour began in November 2008 at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with a revised script by Ray Roderick, who is the tour director.Gans, Andrew. "'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' Launches National Tour in Florida Nov. 18". playbill.com, November 18, 2008 These revisions have since become part of the licensed script. The original US touring prop car is now under exclusive ownership by Tony Garofalo of New York City, released by Big League Productions and currently being used for private display use as well as fundraising events. This prop vehicle is a full sized version and fully equipped with many hydraulically activated stage tricks, such as surround stage mounted lighting, retractable wings, and spinning 45 degree tilt tires."Car at Garofalo" strawberryfieldsthetribute.com, accessed May 24, 2015 ;Subsequent UK touring productions Since closing in London, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang toured around the UK, stopping in Sunderland (9 December 2005- 4 March 2006), Manchester (20 March 2006- 10 June 2006), Birmingham (23 June 2006- 2 September 2006), Liverpool (18 September 2006- 18 November 2006), Edinburgh (1 December 2006- 24 February 2007), Bristol (9 March 2007- 9 June 2007) and Southampton (25 June- 15 September 2007), Bradford (11 February 2008 – 5 April 2008), Sunderland (17 April 2008 – 7 June 2008), Cardiff (3 July 2008 – 30 August 2008). The UK Tour visited Asia for the first time when it opened on 2 November 2007 in Singapore's Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Encouraging ticket sales resulted in an extension of the show to 9 December,Majid, Hasnita A. ""Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" musical to extend run till Dec 9." Channel NewsAsia.com, November 1, 2007. Retrieved February 29, 2008. adding 24 more shows to a run which was originally planned to end on 18 November 2007."Chitty Chitty to open with a big Bang Bang in Singapore." MI6 News, October 4, 2007. Retrieved February 29, 2008. In 2009, the original production toured the UK until 2010 on a smaller scale, directed by original director Adrian Noble and choreographed by David Morgan. This tour used the script revisions used for the US tour by Ray Roderick. A brand new production by Music and Lyrics Productions opened at the West Yorkshire Playhouse for the Christmas 2015 season, directed by artistic director, James Brining and choreographed by Stephen Mear. Following the run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the production toured the UK and Ireland from February 2016 at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, and ended in February 2017 at the Bristol Hippodrome. ;Australian production The Australian national production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened on November 17, 2012 at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, featuring David Hobson and Rachael Beck. ;German production The German premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang took place on April 30, 2014 at the State Theatre on Gaertnerplatz in Munich/Germany, translated by Frank Thannhaeuser, directed by Josef E. Koepplinger and choreographed by Ricarda Regina Ludigkeit. Songs ;Act 1 *Overture — Orchestra *Prologue — Company *"You Two" — Caractacus, Jeremy & Jemima *"Them Three" — Grandpa Potts *"Toot Sweets" — Caractacus, Truly, Lord Scrumptious & Ensemble *"Think Vulgar" (2002–2005) "Act English" (2005–present) — Boris and Goran *"Hushabye Mountain" — Caractacus *"Come to the Funfair" — Company *"Me Ol' Bamboo" — Caractacus & Ensemble *"Posh!" — Grandpa Potts, Jeremy & Jemima *"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima, & Grandpa Potts *"Truly Scrumptious" — Jeremy, Jemima & Truly *"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (Nautical reprise) — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima *"Chitty Takes Flight" — Company ;Act 2 *"Entr'acte" — Orchestra *"Vulgarian National Anthem" — Company *"The Roses of Success" — Grandpa Potts & Inventors *"Kiddy-Widdy-Winkies" — Childcatcher *"Teamwork" — Caractacus, Toymaker, Truly & Juvenile Ensemble *"Chu-Chi Face" — Baron & Baroness Bomburst *"The Bombie Samba" — Baroness, Baron & Ensemble *"Doll On A Music Box"/"Truly Scrumptious" (Reprise) — Truly & Caractacus *"Us Two"/"Chitty Prayer" — Jeremy & Jemima *"Teamwork" (Reprise) — Toymaker & Company *"Chitty Flies Home (Finale)" — Company Notes: Since the 2008 US tour, the following songs have been omitted: "Come to the Funfair", "Kiddy-Widdy-Winkies", "Us Two/Chitty Prayer". "Kiddy-Widdy-Winkies" was replaced with a version of "Lovely Lonely Man" from the original film, sung by Truly Scrumptious. The overall script is also changed to more closely match the film, notably missing the part where childcatcher tricks the family by dressing as the Toymaker and Grandpa. In the 2012 Australian production,"Kiddie-Widdy-Winkies" was put back in the line-up of songs, but has since not been put back into the 2015 UK tour. Casts # Actor also plays 'Junkman' after changes to the 2008 US tour. # Actor also plays 'Lord Scrumptious' after changes to the 2008 US tour. # Actress also plays 'Miss Phillips' after changes to the 2008 US tour. # Actor also plays 'Coggins' after changes to the 2005 UK tour. # Actor also plays 'Baron Bomburst' after changes to the 2008 US tour. Awards and nominations Original London production Original Broadway production 2015–17 UK tour References External links * * Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Music Theatre International website * Chitty Chitty Bang Bang * Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Twitter Category:West End musicals Category:Broadway musicals Category:Musicals by the Sherman Brothers Category:2002 musicals Category:Musicals based on films Category:Musicals based on novels Category:Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Category:Flying cars in fiction Category:Plays set in the 20th century Category:Plays set in England